Optical connector, male connector housing for optical connector, and female connector housing for optical connector

Abstract

Guiding convexed and concaved parts provided on inner side surfaces of a female connector housing have inclining surfaces inclining with respect to a direction perpendicular to the inner side surfaces; whereas guided convexed and concaved parts provided on outer side surfaces of a male connector housing have inclining surfaces facing the inclining surfaces of the guiding convexed and concaved parts.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical connector, comprising:
 a male connector housing to which optical transmission path-related members forming an optical transmission path are assembled; and 
 a female connector housing for allowing the male connector housing to be inserted thereinto; 
 wherein: 
 at least one of outer side surfaces of the male connector housing has a guided convexed and concaved part extending in a direction in which the male connector housing is inserted; 
 an inner side surface of the female connector housing, corresponding to the at least one of outer side surfaces in a state where the male connector housing is inserted into the female connector housing, has a guiding convexed and concaved part extending in the direction in which the male connector housing is inserted, the guiding convexed and concaved part being engageable with the guided convexed and concaved part to guide the male connector housing in the direction in which the male connector housing is inserted; 
 the guiding convexed and concaved part has an inclining surface inclining with respect to a direction perpendicular to the inner side surface; and 
 the guided convexed and concaved part has a counter inclining surface facing the inclining surface. 
 
     
     
       2. An optical connector according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 an inclining direction of the inclining surface is set such that a convexed part included in the guiding convexed and concaved part has a width decreasing as being laterally inward from the inner side surface of the female connector housing; and 
 an inclining direction of the counter inclining surface is set such that a convexed part included in the guided convexed and concaved part has a width decreasing as being laterally outward from the at least one of outer side surfaces of the male connector housing. 
 
     
     
       3. An optical connector according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the female connector housing has the guiding convexed and concaved part on each of both inner side surfaces thereof facing each other; 
 the male connector housing has the guided convexed and concaved part on each of both outer side surfaces thereof facing each other; 
 the guiding convexed and concaved parts are asymmetric; and 
 the guided convexed and concaved parts are asymmetric. 
 
     
     
       4. An optical connector according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the female connector housing has the guiding convexed and concaved part on each of both inner side surfaces thereof facing each other; 
 the male connector housing has the guided convexed and concaved part on each of both outer side surfaces thereof facing each other; 
 the guiding convexed and concaved parts are asymmetric; and 
 the guided convexed and concaved parts are asymmetric. 
 
     
     
       5. A male connector housing, for an optical connector, to which optical transmission path-related members forming an optical transmission path are assembled, and which is allowed to be inserted into a female connector housing; the male connector housing comprising:
 a guided convexed and concaved part which is engageable with a guiding convexed and concaved part provided on at least one of inner side inner surfaces of the female connector housing and extends in a direction in which the male connector housing is inserted into the female connector housing, the guided convexed and concaved part being provided an outer side surface corresponding to the at least one of inner side surfaces in a state where the male connector housing is inserted into the female connector housing; 
 wherein the guided convexed and concaved part has a counter inclining surface facing an inclining surface of the guiding convexed and concaved part, the inclining surface inclining with respect to a direction perpendicular to the at least one of inner side surface of the female connector housing. 
 
     
     
       6. A male connector housing for an optical connector according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 an inclining direction of the counter inclining surface is set such that a convexed part included in the guided convexed and concaved part has a width decreasing as being laterally outward from the outer side surface. 
 
     
     
       7. A male connector housing for an optical connector according to  claim 6 , wherein both of outer side surfaces of the male connector housing facing each other each have the guided convexed and concaved part, and the guided convexed and concaved parts are asymmetric. 
     
     
       8. A male connector housing for an optical connector according to  claim 5 , wherein both of outer side surfaces of the male connector housing facing each other each have the guided convexed and concaved part, and the guided convexed and concaved parts are asymmetric. 
     
     
       9. A female connector housing for an optical connector, the female connector housing allowing a male connector housing, to which optical transmission path-related members forming an optical transmission path are assembled, to be inserted thereinto; the female connector housing comprising:
 a guiding convexed and concaved part which is engageable with a guided convexed and concaved part provided on at least one of outer side inner surfaces of the male connector housing and extends in a direction in which the male connector housing is inserted into the female connector housing, the guiding convexed and concaved part being provided on an inner side surface corresponding to the at least one of outer side surfaces of the male connector housing in a state where the male connector housing is inserted into the female connector housing; 
 wherein the guiding convexed and concaved part has an inclining surface facing a counter inclining surface of the guided convexed and concaved part of the male connector housing, the inclining surface inclining with respect to a direction perpendicular to the inner side surface. 
 
     
     
       10. A female connector housing for an optical connector according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 an inclining direction of the inclining surface is set such that a convexed part included in the guiding convexed and concaved part has a width decreasing as being laterally inward from the inner side surface. 
 
     
     
       11. A female connector housing for an optical connector according to  claim 10 , wherein both of inner side surfaces of the female connector housing facing each other each have the guiding convexed and concaved part, and the guiding convexed and concaved parts are asymmetric. 
     
     
       12. A female connector housing for an optical connector according to  claim 9 , wherein both of inner side surfaces of the female connector housing facing each other each have the guiding convexed and concaved part, and the guiding convexed and concaved parts are asymmetric.